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The first Regional Steering Committee of the Local Integration Project in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine (Phase II), co-funded by EU/UNHCR and implemented by UNHCR, is held in Chisinau today with the participation of representatives from three countries involved in the project.

The Committee gathers stakeholders on the regional and local level, including government authorities responsible for asylum, NGOs, refugees, EU, IOM and UNHCR representatives. During the day-long meeting the partners discuss the developments, progress and challenges of the project – similar to the regular Committee meetings – and reflect on the project as a whole adopting a working plan for future activities and developments.

“During the past three and a half years the situation in the field of asylum and integration certainly improved, but more needs to be done and there is room for progress.  All partners involved in the process of promoting refugee and asylum seeker integration should ensure that the needs of UNHCR persons of concern are addressed and public services treat refugees according to their rights”, said HE Mr. Dirk Schuebel, Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova.

The main goals of the Local Integration Project in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine are to enhance institutional, administrative and professional capacities of government authorities to administrate socio-economic issues related to refugees and asylum seekers in each country, assist refugees to integrate and become self-reliant, enhance the capacity of refugees to support their host communities as well as increase tolerance towards refugees by raising awareness on integration needs of refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

The discussions during the meeting will focus on project implementation in all three countries, achievements and shortcoming, national integration strategies and the role of the local integration project in their development, review and update of the project regional work plan and regional activities following to be implemented in 2013.

“The project is in the final phase and the present meeting provides the opportunity to make any imperative changes or adjustments to the existing work plan”, said Mr. Srecko Neuman, Senior Regional Local Integration Officer from UNHCR, Ukraine. “Today is a good time to hear the opinion of the government representatives on the progress on developing national integration strategies, as these will regulate further the process, after the projects are completed”.

The Local Integration Project in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine was launched in March 2009 and is currently in its second phase. Achievements of the first phase include the renovation of two houses from Mereni and Razeni villages – currently hosting 8 families -  as well as of the final wing in the Temporary Accommodation Center for Asylum Seekers, provision of Romanian language courses for beneficiaries, medical and social assistance for refugees and asylum seekers, in-kind and small business start-up grants to increase self-reliance of UNHCR persons of concern.

The total budget of the Local Integration Project, Phase I and Phase II, amounts Euro €3,5 mln for all three countries. The European Union contributed 80 percent of the total budget, with UNHCR providing the remaining 20 percent. The project comes to endorse the commitment of the Republic of Moldova to implement its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention to improve the local integration prospects for refugees.